Giulio serra zanetti



Patented lune 20, |899.

G. S. ZANETTI.

DAM 0R HEVETMENT.

(Applcatioh led Aug. 14, 1897.)

for

(No Model.)

wzlznesses 9 I 711/6 vz NITED STATES GIULIO SERRA ZANETTI, `OF BOLOGNA,ITALY.

DAM 0R REVETMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,375, dated June 20,1899.

Application letl August 14, 1897.

T0 all whom it' may concernf Beit known that I, GIULIO SERRA ZANETTI, asubject of the King of Italy, and a vresident of Bologna, Italy, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Dams or Revetments, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dams for closing crevasses in levees orriver-banks and also to revetments, means for protecting and reinforcingbanks of rivers and other bodies of water, breakwaters, and the like;and it will be fully understood from thel following descriptionand'claims when taken inconjunction with the annexed drawings, in which-Figure l is a detail view illustrativeof the woven-wire fabric whichenters into all of the several embodiments of my invention; Fig. 2 is aperspective view of a plurality of receptacles of circular formvinIcross-section, formed by a single strip lof woven-wire fabric anddesigned to be filled with broken stone or other suitable material. Fig.3 is an en larged plan view of one of the rings used to preserve theshape of the circular receptacles; Fig. 4 is an end view of two parallelseries of receptacles formed by a' single continuous strip of woven-wirefabric. Fig. 5 is an end view of a series of connected receptacles ofrectangular form in cross-section. Fig. 6 is a view of one ofthe squaresused to preserve the shape. of the rectangular receptacles. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of a plurality of receptacles of rectangular form incross-section, connected together so as to -form a wall of the shape ofa parallelepipedon. Fig. 8 is a perspective. view of a wall constructedin accordance with my invention; Figs. 9 and 10 comprise perspectiveviews of two' forms of walls for protecting banks of a body of water,together with protracted views of' the same. Fig. 11 is a perspectiveview of a series of connected receptacles forming a wall. Fig. 12 is aperspective view of a modified form of wall. Fig. 13 is an end Viewofthe same. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of another form of wall. Fig.15 `is an end'view of the same.

' Referring by letter to the said drawings, A (see Fig. 1) indicates thewoven-wire fabric of galvanized iron wire-which enters into all theembodiments of my invention, the said serai No. 648,326. (No moda.)

wire fabric having a mesh of suitable size in proportion to the materialto be used for filling and being Woven byv the simplertwisting of onewire upon the other, thus givingthe fabric a great suppleness, whichwill enable the several devicesihereinafter described) formed of it toreadily adapt themselves to' all. the irregular forms of river banks orbeds. The wire fabric is in preference usually strengthened by means ofyribs a, formed of wire rods arranged at suitable intervals and'secured'in the fabricby the woven wire thereof. These rods a, inadditionl to strengthening the fabric, serve another purpose, which willbe readily understood by reference t'o Figs. 2 and 3. In theformerigureis shown a wall B',which comprises a number of upright receptacles C, ofcircular form in cross-section, arranged side by side and adapted tocontain pebbles, broken stone, or other suitable filling.' In formingthis wall B the fabric A is bentupon is middle rod ct, and eachcorresponding pair of intermediate rods a, as well as the .end pair, areconnected Aby'lneans of galvanized iron wire. The separate` receptaclesvO thus formed are each provided `with a'plurality 'of rings b, whichare placedwithin them and are secured to the wire fabric A by galvanizediron wire ori other suitable means, said rings b having for theirfunction to preserve the circular form of the receptacles incross-section. In the wall'B (shown in Fig. 2) the lower ends of thereceptacles or stacks O'are sewed together and/closed by wire,- so as toretain their filling 'of pebbles or broken stone within them. When,however, the wall is arranged on andv connected to a base-cage D ofWoven wire, (see Fig. 8,) the lower ends of the upright receptaclesor-stacks O are left open and in communication with the base-cage,sothat the filling of pebbles or broken stone shoveled into the upperends of the receptacles -O will pass through said re ceptacles C intothe base-cage until saidcage is fully occupied and will theny occupy'thesaid receptacles C', the feeding of the lling being continued until thereceptacles C', as well as the base-cage D, are filled.

In Fig. 4 is shown a double wall B', formed IOO of a single strip offabric A, said wall coni- I for the reception of broken stone or otherfilling, as shown. In forming this Wall B a strip of fabric A of greaterlength than that employed in forming the wall B is bent upon itself inopposite directions, and each corresponding pair of intermediate rodsare connected together by means of galvanized wire to form thereceptacles C2, the circular form of said receptacles in cross-sectionbeing preserved by the rings b in the same manner as in Fig. 2. The endsof the piece of fabricA in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 may be securedin any suitable manner.

In Figs. 5 and 7 is shown a modified wall B2, which is in the form of aparallelepipedon and comprises a plurality of receptacles C3, ofrectangular shape in cross-section, designed to receive a fillingofbroken stone or the like, the said receptacles being connected by wireor other suitable means and being preserved in their original shape bysquares Z1 of iron or other suitable metal. (See Fig. 6.)

Vhen broken stone, pebbles, or other suitable filling is not plentiful,a wall B5 (see Figs. l2 and I3) lnaybe employed, the said wallcomprising connected sections, which are respectively formed of onepiece of wire fabric and respectively comprise the receptacles C, withthe portion of fabric t' interposed between them. iVhere a strongerWall, entailing the employment of a small amount of filling, is desired,the wall B6 (shown in Figs. 14 and l5) may be employed. This wallcomprises receptacles C7 and parallel portions of fabric it?, interposedbetween the same, as shown.

The walls shown in Figs. 2, l2, and 14 are designed to be'placedvertically or on an ineline against the bank of a river or oth er bodyof water, and they are therefore provided with cords t, connected to andextended along their upper edges with free end portions, as shown,intermediate vertical cords t', which have eX- tended ends, as shown,and intermediate horizontal cords t2, also with extended ends. The cordst t' and sometimes the cords t2 are of use in lowering the walls totheir proper position and properly adjusting the same, and the cords t tare also designed to be fastened to trees or other natural or artificialobjects fixed in the grou nd to secure them in position,while the cordst2 are designed to connect one wall to the ends of the walls contiguousthereto, thus insuring the stability of the walls and enabling them toprotect a river-bank against the action of the stream.

The walls shown in Figsmi; and 7 may also be provided with cords t t t2when necessary, although they are not shown as provided with the same.

When it is desired to provide a bank or levee with a protecting-wall ofhigh resisting power, subwalls B7, such as shown in Fig. Il, arearranged side by side, so that the direction of their length is at rightangles to the face of the bank or levee. In order to connectthe subwallstogether, each is lprovided with wire or metallic cords f3, and in orderto fasten them to a bank or levee they are provided with cords f similarto those before described.

Another wall of great defensive power may be formed by arrangingsubwalls B8, such as shown in Fig. 9, or subwalls B, such as shown inFig. IO, side by side and connecting them together and to the bank orlevee. The subwall B8 preferably comprises two upright receptacles ofcircular form in cross-section and a third receptacle which is of a lesslength than the other two and merges'at its lower end in a slopingbase-cage, as shown. The subwall B comprises one receptacle ofrectangular form in cross-section and a second shorter receptacle, ofrectangular form in cross-section, which merges at its lower end in asloping base-cage. The said subwalls B8 B may be provided with cables ft3 similar to those onA the subwalls of the wall B7.

All of the walls of Wire-netting and stone or other filling describedare designed for use in a vertical or in an inclined position to protectthe banks of rivers and other bodies of Water.

In addition to reinforcing and protecting levees or banks of streams orother bodies of water the walls may be used in repairing breaks,different types of Walls being used, according to the seriousness of thecrevasse or threatened crevasse. I would also have it understood that,when necessary, walls embodying but a single layer each may be arrangedone in front of the other to form a thick wall of great strength.

In Fig. S is shown awall B11, which has piles Z driven through itsbase-cage D to secure it in position. This wall B11 is designed for useat the foot of a bank or levee at times when the waters have subsidedand when it is neeessary to securely repair a break or weakened spot inthe bank or levee. After the base-cage of the wall has sunk suflicientlyin the bed of the river to maintain the wall in position the piles Z maybe withdrawn, so as to permit of a further sinking of the baseeage ifthe river-bed be of such a nature as to permit of the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. A wall for use inreinforcing and protecting river banks or levees and repairing breaks orcrevasses therein comprising a plurality of receptacles formed ofwoven-wire fabric and connected together, rigid frames arranged in saidreceptacles and connected to the woven-Wire fabric so as to preserve theshape of the receptacles, and a filling of broken stone or othersuitable material arranged in said receptacles, substantially asspecified.

2. A wall for use in reinforcing and protecting river banks or leveesand repairing breaks or crevasses therein comprising a piece ofwoven-wire fabric; said piece of fabric being bent upon itself andhaving its bent portions connected so as to form receptacles, and

IOO

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a suitable filling arranged in said receptacles, substantially asspecified.

3. A Wall for use in reinforcing and protecting river banks or leveesand repairing breaks orcrevasses therein, comprising a piece ofwoven-wire fabric having stiffening-rods at intervals in its length;said piece of fabric being bent upon itself and having the said rodsconnected together so as to form receptacles, and a suitable fillingarranged in said receptacles, substantially as specified.

4. A wall for use in reinforcing and protecting river banks or leveesand repairing breaks or crevasses therein, comprising a plurality ofreceptacles formed' of woven-Wire fabric and connected together, abase-cage of woven-Wire fabric connected to the lower ends of the saidreceptacles and communicating with the same, and a suitable fillingoccupying said receptacles and base-cage, substantially as specified.

5. A Wall for use in reinforcing and protecting river banks and leveesand repairing breaks or crevasses therein, comprising a plurality ofreceptacles formed of woven-wire fabric and connected together, abase-cage of woven wire connected to the lower ends of the saidreceptacles and communicating with the same, piles for securing the saidbase= cage to the bed of a river, and asuitable Illing occupying thesaid receptacles and basecage, substantially as specified.

6. An appliance for use in reinforcing and protecting river levees orbanks and repairing breaks or crevasses therein, comprising a pluralityof receptacles formed of woven-wire fabric and connected together, asuitable filling arranged in the said receptacles, and metallic cablesconnected to said wall and designed for use in connncting it with otherwalls and with the bank or levee,substantially as specied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of July, 1897. l

GIULlO SERRA ZANETTI.

Witnesses:

F. I. WENEDITTY, AUGUST EGGENSCHWILER.

